Florida will receive more than $7 billion dollars directly earmarked for schools as part of the latest American Rescue Plan Act signed into law this month by President Biden.
What You Need To Know
- Hillsborough schools weigh options for funds, including extended learning, more school nurses
- State lawmakers issue recommendations about how money should and should not be used
- More Education headlines
- More Hillsborough County headlines
About $400 millón of that money will be given to Hillsborough County Public Schools, which is one of the largest school districts in the state.
On Friday, School Superintendent Addison Davis took part in a panel discussion sponsored by the Tampa Tiger Bay Club to talk about how federal pandemic relief dollars are being spent.
Davis said a portion of the money will be used to help children who are falling behind academically because of the pandemic.
"For our side of it, we're going to use it for extended learning opportunities, especially during the summer," Davis said. "For the first time in Hillsborough County, we're going to offer K-5 summer learning to students who may need our help the most."
He said they're also considering an earlier start date for the fall semester for the district's transformational schools.
They are planning to expand mental health counseling and services and hire more school nurses.
The district will also be usig some of the money to off-set Covid-19 related expenses like protective gear and cleaning supplies.
"And then having and continuing to pay for our Covid Response Team and for our employee testing," Davis said.
State lawmakers are cautioning all school districts not to use the money as a way to plug budget shortfalls.
Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls (R-Clearwater) sent all superintendents a letter telling them to look at the federal dollars as "one time payments" that shouldn't be used for "recurring obligations".
Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran echoed that sentiment.
In a recent memo he stressed that districts need to take "fiscal responsible stewardship" of the federal funds.
He said the money should be used for "needs that will not exist after Florida's recovery from the pandemic."
Corcoran also said school districts should plan on using these funds to support pandemic-related needs through at least the 2021-22 school year.